Setting the record straight..
Top Gun: Maverick
Characters: Maverick, Rooster
Mentioned: Goose, Carole, Iceman
It had taken years for the two of them to have this conversation..
"I need to know Mav.. why?", Rooster's gaze was steely, just like his father's and it bore deep into Pete's soul, like he was looking at Goose again.
After the mission where they had succeeded and saved each other's lives, things started to take a turn for the better between Captain Pete Mitchell and Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw and they began spending more time together than they had in a long time.
Pete sighed, his brow creased as he looked down and then back up at Bradley.. "Why did you pull my application for the academy?" It wasn't like him to have done something like this, Maverick had been there for Bradley ever since his father had died, had tried to be a father figure to the small boy and for a long time, the two were close, thick as thieves but then Carole had asked Maverick to do this one favour for her before she died.
Sitting in his workshop having a beer, the two men were having that talk that Maverick promised they would have after their mission, shaking his head, "It's complicated Brad". He still didn't want to implicate Carole in this whole mess, he didn't want Bradley to resent his mother about what she had asked Maverick to do for her.
"Then un-complicate it Mav.. It was my future, it set me back years.. so I think I deserve to know". He sipped on his beer and looked at his Dad's best friend, and the man who helped raise him along with his mother Carole. "It can't be that complicated that you can't tell me".
It was now or never, as much as he didn't want Bradley to think any less of his mother or resent her, he knew that Rooster was right, he did deserve to know why he pulled his application and set him back years. "Okay, I'll explain.. but first.. I need to stress that your mother never blamed me for your Dad's death". Rooster nodded at that, "I know.. she always made sure I knew that, but what does that have to do with anything Mav?"
Sighing and letting out a breath, Pete looked at Bradley, "Well, after your father's death, the last thing your mother wanted was for you to join the Navy, she didn't want to lose her son the same way she lost her husband and when she was sick she made me promise that I would do my best to stop you from getting into the academy.. I was doing it to honour her last wishes, and because I didn't want to lose my nephew the same way, I always knew you would follow in your father's footsteps and it was your decision but I knew you weren't ready and one day when I was in the hospital talking to your mom, she made me promise".
Rooster sat there, nodding his head a little in understanding as he sipped on his beer.. He knew his mother didn't want him going into the Navy, she had tried to talk him out of it so many times but he was determined to follow in his father's footsteps. He should have known it was his mother that got Maverick involved in that, though he didn't resent his mother at all.. He could understand why she wouldn't want him to fly after the way her husband died.
Taking it all in, Rooster sighed softly, "I should have known Mom was involved in that". He would always resent Maverick a little but he could understand why he did it. Growing up, he had both Maverick and even Iceman as father figures and knowing they had both been there when his father died, Iceman had explained to Rooster how hard it had been for Pete to overcome Nick's death and how he nearly quit not only Top Gun but quit from the Navy as well.
"The only reason I never told you was because I didn't want you to resent your Mom or think less of her.. She never said I couldn't tell you but it was one thing I didn't want to burden you with". Maverick sipped on his own beer, looking directly at Rooster, "and I thought at the time, it was better that way, I could handle you resenting me and hating me but I couldn't bare you to think less of your Mom.. She loved you Brad, and only wanted what she thought was best for you".
Letting out a breath, the younger Bradshaw shook his head a little, "You still should have told me Uncle Pete". It was the first time in years that Peter had heard Bradley call him Uncle Pete, and he knew in that moment that their bond they had built up after that mission was still there, and that he hadn't ruined anything by revealing the truth now. Nodding his head, he agreed with him. "You are right Brad, I should have told you and I could go over my reasons again but none of that changes the fact that I should have told you.. I also shouldn't have had your application pulled. I should have spoken to you about it, and then respected your decision whatever you decided".
Pete still held onto a lot of guilt over what happened to Goose and it was only while talking to Ice shortly before his death where Ice told him that he needed to learn to let go of the past that he was finally beginning to let go. In his life, he had lost so many people.. Both his parents, Goose, Carole and then Charlotte, and now Ice and it was time to now put the past behind him and live his life.
He had Penny and Amelia back in his life, and now Rooster seemed to be coming around more, opening it up for them to create a strong bond and for him to be the father figure he always wanted to be for him. Part of learning from his actions and past mistakes meant owning up to them and not trying to reason his way out of it. "Mav… Thank you". Rooster brought him out of his thoughts and he smiled up at his nephew/godson as he continued. "I know it is hard to admit when you are wrong, and I appreciate you being honest finally about it and admitting that while you had my mom's last wishes in mind, that it was something you shouldn't have done".
Part of him wondered why he had been so determined to go into the navy after how his father had died, but he knew deep down that his father and Maverick had been his idols and heroes growing up and he wanted to follow in their footsteps. He took a breath, looking into Maverick's eyes, "I don't think I have ever told you but you and Dad were my heroes growing up and I loved sitting on your lap as a kid hearing your stories about Dad and that's why I wanted to be a pilot and more importantly why I wanted to be a naval aviator and while Mom understood that, I can understand why she didn't want me to join the Navy so I don't resent her, and I'm letting go of the resentment I had towards you over it as well".
Pete's eyes had welled up a little and he took a breath to steel himself, "I never knew that". He never realised that was one of the reasons why Bradley decided to join the navy and become a fighter pilot like himself and his Dad. He looked back over at Bradley and smiled softly, "Thanks for telling me that bud, it means a lot to me to know that.. I just hope this means that we can get back to where we should be.. I know I'm not your father, but I want to be the best father figure I can to you, I want to know your parents are looking down on us and are smiling knowing we are close and bonding again".
Bradley smiled and fought back his own tears at what was said, "You always have been Mav, and we are already starting to get that bond back we lost… now, speaking of bonding.. how about you tell me about you and Penny Benjamin, I heard you two are back together". He smiled softly knowing that it had been hard for for Maverick to move on after Charlotte, but was glad he was finally doing it.. It was Mav's turn to smirk, "I'll tell you about Penny when you tell me what's going on between you and Phoenix, you think I can't see what's going on?"
Turning his head shyly, he chuckled and shook his head in an amused way knowing that not much got past Maverick.. When words couldn't comet to him, Maverick began speaking again, "Remember, don't think.. just do it.. If you believe she is the one, don't let anything get in the way of that.. I know your Mom's parents didn't like the idea of her dating and then marrying a military man, mainly because they were scared of what might happen, but if your Mom took their advise, you wouldn't be here.. Trust your gut instincts, and if nothing has started yet, don't be afraid to ask.. I see the way she looks at you Rooster, it's the same way your Mom used to look at your Dad.. all I'm saying is don't be afraid to engage with her like you were afraid to engage in the air".
Nodding his head, he sighed softly, taking another sip of his beer as he contemplated this, he knew he was right… "I know… you are right.. I should ask her out". Truth was, he was scared… He was scared of losing something great he way his mother had but he needed to take the risk this time. Standing up to continue working on his plane, he walked past Rooster and patted him on the shoulder, "Attaboy.. now why don't you come help me with this, there is still so much I wanna teach you".
As he stood up to join Maverick, he smiled as he looked up towards the ceiling, and thanked his parents for everything. They might not be here anymore, but their stories and memories would always live on in the two men standing working on a plan in an old navy hanger.
Author's notes.
After having seen the movie, I decided to continue to try to write some stories on this movie and this one was a big one for me.. I wanted to tell this story since it wasn't told in the movie.. Maverick's motivation for why he did what he did, the talk that Mav said they would have once they completed their mission. For anyone who has seen the movie, I know there didn't appear to be anything between Phoenix and any of the male characters but I'd like in my version, I'd love to have Rooster and Phoenix fighting their feelings till they can't fight it anymore. I would like to see Rooster happy since he has lost both his parents and lost his father figure Maverick when they fell out and now things are starting to fall into place for him.
